Bridgewater’s Emma’s to roll out frozen pizza

The man who started his business selling hot dogs out of a push-cart at Legion Field in 1985 has set his sights on wholesale, and plans to offer those famed bar pies as frozen pizzas to local grocery stores by the end of the month.

Amy Carboneau

In 1993, the year John Bagley graduated from Bridgewater-Raynham, you could find him nearly every Wednesday night inside Ron Emma’s place with classmates, a pitcher of soda and Emma’s famed 99-cent bar pies.

“And, they were the best pizzas around,” said Bagley, who now runs a business in town and still frequents Emma’s Pub and Pizza at least once a week.

Bagley isn’t the only one.

“He has a hell of a following,” said Bagley, who knows at least three generations of B-R alumni who eat at the place daily.

The 89-cent pizza deal – the price was cut by a dime to fend off competitors – from noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays draws in a full house within 40 minutes, Emma said.

The man who started his business selling hot dogs out of a push-cart at Legion Field in 1985 has set his sights on wholesale, and plans to offer those famed bar pies as frozen pizzas to local grocery stores by the end of the month.

The idea struck about five months ago.

“The trouble is,” said Emma, “because I have friends who are competitors, you can’t go to them for help.”

So the 59-year-old started researching how to do everything on his own, from how to freeze the pizza, to how to shrinkwrap it for sale. And before he knew it, wholesalers were coming to him with interest.

At this point, Emma said he is 99 percent certain his pizzas will be available at Trucchi’s markets. He has also been in contact with Shaw’s. It’s too early to know what they will sell for in stores, he said.

But varieties will include cheese, onion and pepper, mushroom and one a gluten-free pie – “That’s going to be big,” he said.

In another six to eight months, Emma plans to build a commissary: a 2,500-square-foot kitchen and production line all in one.

Until then, his wife will have to get used to the label maker taking up space on their kitchen table.

Amy Carboneau may be reached at acarboneau@enterprisenews.com, or follow her on Twitter @amycarboneau.